What do you think?
Rate this book
The Álvarez-Moreno Files #1
Red Flags
Mateo Álvarez-Moreno is an undercover agent at the Department of Supernatural Activity (DOSA) and has recently been assigned his worst mission yet: as the first gay lead on the reality TV dating series Red Flags.
With intel suggesting that one of the contestants is secretly a demon, Mateo’s task is to apprehend the monster before it can kill the other contestants and crew members.
As Mateo gets to work, he begins to question the true motives behind his mission. With a disgraced former DOSA agent on the show's staff and contestants possessing supernatural abilities, Mateo suspects that he may have been brought here under false pretenses. Is this all just a ploy for higher ratings, or is something more sinister at play?
As tensions rise, someone is found murdered, and Mateo realizes that there are real dangers lurking behind the glitz and glamour of reality TV. With the fate of his fellow contestants on the line, Mateo must race to save them all or he risks starring in the most murderous season in Red Flags history.
With intel suggesting that one of the contestants is secretly a demon, Mateo’s task is to apprehend the monster before it can kill the other contestants and crew members.
As Mateo gets to work, he begins to question the true motives behind his mission. With a disgraced former DOSA agent on the show's staff and contestants possessing supernatural abilities, Mateo suspects that he may have been brought here under false pretenses. Is this all just a ploy for higher ratings, or is something more sinister at play?
As tensions rise, someone is found murdered, and Mateo realizes that there are real dangers lurking behind the glitz and glamour of reality TV. With the fate of his fellow contestants on the line, Mateo must race to save them all or he risks starring in the most murderous season in Red Flags history.
- GenresParanormal
346 pages, Paperback
Published February 5, 2024
14 people are currently reading
30 people want to read
About the author
Michael Procopio
7 books4 followersMichael Procopio is a fantasy writer living in Massachusetts. He grew up with dreams of somehow becoming a vampire slayer or developing superpowers. When that didn’t happen, he got a job working in higher education.
When he’s not writing, Michael can be found baking (and stuffing his face with said baked goods), reading, watching TV (too much TV, honestly), spending time with his family and friends, and traveling.
It’s not slaying vampires but it’s also not as boring as it sounds.
When he’s not writing, Michael can be found baking (and stuffing his face with said baked goods), reading, watching TV (too much TV, honestly), spending time with his family and friends, and traveling.
It’s not slaying vampires but it’s also not as boring as it sounds.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
September 6, 2024
This was an #SPFBO read for me.
I was unsure what to think of this one when I started reading it as it quickly became clear that this set up and story is hugely inspired by the show The Bachelor. Whilst this show is an addictive reality tv show that I have to say I enjoy binge-watching, I still think you may well enjoy this even without having any prior knowledge of the show and spin offs. However, if you are a fan and have enjoyed watching The Bachelor then you’ll probably like this one, as it starts off in a very similar vein with the main show being called Red Flags in this book. We follow Mateo who is the first gay and non-white bachelor, and he’s looking for love. Not only is he looking for love, but he’s actually hunting a demon at the same time as he’s a member of DOSA, and very good at his job.
Supernatural beings are a part of daily life in this urban fantasy setting and it was really easy to get into this one. Magic and mayhem are, of course, around and yet there are some pretty dark and gorey scenes too. I have to admit I expected more romance and less demons, but the book doesn’t shy away from the gore and the violence.
Mateo as a character was fun to follow as whilst he’s confident in his abilities to hunt demons his fears around relationships are very real and relatable. He’s trying to navigate being on tv, hunting a demon and all the demands on his time around the manor as he is the bachelor.
There is obviously a strong love theme here as the Bachelor is a dating show and so is this. Whilst I don’t think it takes centre stage I do think there’s a fair amount of lovey-dovey moments and that may not be for everyone.
In the end, I found the plot of this one enjoyable and the setting and characters too. I think there were a few moments where I wasn’t sure where we were going and that was good to see.
There was a lot of blood and guts and I think that the brutality of the demons came through in the later sections of the book. 3.25*s so 6.5/10 for #SPFBO
I was unsure what to think of this one when I started reading it as it quickly became clear that this set up and story is hugely inspired by the show The Bachelor. Whilst this show is an addictive reality tv show that I have to say I enjoy binge-watching, I still think you may well enjoy this even without having any prior knowledge of the show and spin offs. However, if you are a fan and have enjoyed watching The Bachelor then you’ll probably like this one, as it starts off in a very similar vein with the main show being called Red Flags in this book. We follow Mateo who is the first gay and non-white bachelor, and he’s looking for love. Not only is he looking for love, but he’s actually hunting a demon at the same time as he’s a member of DOSA, and very good at his job.
Supernatural beings are a part of daily life in this urban fantasy setting and it was really easy to get into this one. Magic and mayhem are, of course, around and yet there are some pretty dark and gorey scenes too. I have to admit I expected more romance and less demons, but the book doesn’t shy away from the gore and the violence.
Mateo as a character was fun to follow as whilst he’s confident in his abilities to hunt demons his fears around relationships are very real and relatable. He’s trying to navigate being on tv, hunting a demon and all the demands on his time around the manor as he is the bachelor.
There is obviously a strong love theme here as the Bachelor is a dating show and so is this. Whilst I don’t think it takes centre stage I do think there’s a fair amount of lovey-dovey moments and that may not be for everyone.
In the end, I found the plot of this one enjoyable and the setting and characters too. I think there were a few moments where I wasn’t sure where we were going and that was good to see.
There was a lot of blood and guts and I think that the brutality of the demons came through in the later sections of the book. 3.25*s so 6.5/10 for #SPFBO
June 25, 2025
Red Flags (Alvarez-Moreno files 1)
By Michael Procopio
Magic Lemon Tree Books, 2024
Four stars
This is the book that sets up the rest of the Alvarez-Moreno series. We’re in a world I see more and more these days: everyone knows magical creatures exist. It’s not clear if this is a good thing or not. We meet Mateo Alvarez-Moreno as an agent for DOSA (Department of Supernatural Activity), planted on the filming set of a popular TV reality show called Red Flags. What ensues is a lot of fun. The odd aspect of Michael Procopio’s book is the tone, which can shift from gossipy banter to bloody mayhem and back again. The author has an agenda, and it’s to get inside the heads of the characters. Mateo’s own emotional backstory is important, and indeed plays a central part in the book’s unfolding.
Ultimately, the story feels like a mashup of “The Real World” (the first reality show on TV, 1992) and Agatha Christie’s “And Then There Were None.” It’s an odd mix of moods, and I do wish the Red Flags Mansion, where all the action takes place, had been given a more significant role in the story.
But Mateo is a pretty compelling young man, troubled and big-hearted and as brave as a hero ought to be. He introduces us to the dramatically altered world in which all his players live, coping with the consequences of the paranormal revelation in everyday life. I suspect that the cast from this book will reappear in different roles in the coming books in the series.
By Michael Procopio
Magic Lemon Tree Books, 2024
Four stars
This is the book that sets up the rest of the Alvarez-Moreno series. We’re in a world I see more and more these days: everyone knows magical creatures exist. It’s not clear if this is a good thing or not. We meet Mateo Alvarez-Moreno as an agent for DOSA (Department of Supernatural Activity), planted on the filming set of a popular TV reality show called Red Flags. What ensues is a lot of fun. The odd aspect of Michael Procopio’s book is the tone, which can shift from gossipy banter to bloody mayhem and back again. The author has an agenda, and it’s to get inside the heads of the characters. Mateo’s own emotional backstory is important, and indeed plays a central part in the book’s unfolding.
Ultimately, the story feels like a mashup of “The Real World” (the first reality show on TV, 1992) and Agatha Christie’s “And Then There Were None.” It’s an odd mix of moods, and I do wish the Red Flags Mansion, where all the action takes place, had been given a more significant role in the story.
But Mateo is a pretty compelling young man, troubled and big-hearted and as brave as a hero ought to be. He introduces us to the dramatically altered world in which all his players live, coping with the consequences of the paranormal revelation in everyday life. I suspect that the cast from this book will reappear in different roles in the coming books in the series.
August 4, 2025
I'm going to share a quote from our problematic diva Tyra Banks to help me convey how I felt about this book:
"It is so bad, I want to give you a zero, but that's not possible, so I give you a one."
I genuinely only finished it out of spite. It's so bad. The dialogue is cringey at best and unrealistic at worst, and that's an author's biggest offense in my opinion. You don't know how people talk in real life? Go outside, touch some grass, and I'm sure you'll figure it out.
For a play-by-play review of my thoughts on this book, you can visit my notes and highlights. I pointed out a few of the inconsistencies in this novel and ranted about how unlikable literally every single character is, but I also pointed out a few of the best one-liners the author managed to give us. I have to admit, even as angry as this book made me 90% of the time, it had its comedic moments. They just weren't nearly enough to salvage this book in its entirety.
I'm a little devastated but mostly impressed that the author managed to push out more than one sequel after this one. Not impressed enough to subject myself to another nightmare that is Mateo Alvarez-Moreno as a main character but impressed all the same.
"It is so bad, I want to give you a zero, but that's not possible, so I give you a one."
I genuinely only finished it out of spite. It's so bad. The dialogue is cringey at best and unrealistic at worst, and that's an author's biggest offense in my opinion. You don't know how people talk in real life? Go outside, touch some grass, and I'm sure you'll figure it out.
For a play-by-play review of my thoughts on this book, you can visit my notes and highlights. I pointed out a few of the inconsistencies in this novel and ranted about how unlikable literally every single character is, but I also pointed out a few of the best one-liners the author managed to give us. I have to admit, even as angry as this book made me 90% of the time, it had its comedic moments. They just weren't nearly enough to salvage this book in its entirety.
I'm a little devastated but mostly impressed that the author managed to push out more than one sequel after this one. Not impressed enough to subject myself to another nightmare that is Mateo Alvarez-Moreno as a main character but impressed all the same.
January 18, 2025
DNF at 21%: It's so poorly thought out that even the MC notices. But apparently the author somehow did not.
Now and then, I try to read a sale book with my beta reader hat on. In that mindset:
This author did not make sure he avoided repetition. He didn't apply any logic to why he put his MC into this star role on a 'reality' tv dating show. He states things he then contradicts a page or three later. The list of mistakes has gotten so long and so obvious that I'm quitting out of boredom. Were I this author, I'd pull this thing off the market and figure out how to make it make sense, at least, or abandon it at worst.
Now and then, I try to read a sale book with my beta reader hat on. In that mindset:
This author did not make sure he avoided repetition. He didn't apply any logic to why he put his MC into this star role on a 'reality' tv dating show. He states things he then contradicts a page or three later. The list of mistakes has gotten so long and so obvious that I'm quitting out of boredom. Were I this author, I'd pull this thing off the market and figure out how to make it make sense, at least, or abandon it at worst.
May 29, 2024
I really liked the concept but I feel like it wasn't fleshed out enough. I didn't really connect to the characters. Although I do like that the author never tried to redeem one of the characters. Instead he let him show his true colors times and times again near the end while still have him part of the actions. Sometimes you have to work with people whether you like it or not.
October 13, 2024
A very different take on reality shows
Honestly, I almost did not read this as reality shows are not my thing at all. But, I do love paranormal. This is a great book and has all the necessary things for a great paranormal read. Plus, it shows the human side of things very well.
Honestly, I almost did not read this as reality shows are not my thing at all. But, I do love paranormal. This is a great book and has all the necessary things for a great paranormal read. Plus, it shows the human side of things very well.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews